Let Me Stay
by EchoFallsFromGrace
Summary: Billie Dean Howard's life in the Murder House in quick snapshots.


**Betaed by Grace**

"Mr. Montgomery?"

Charles Montgomery raised his head from his chest, fighting to keep his eyes still as they begged to roll into the back of his head. He coughed once, twice, before his words came out, in a hoarse whisper. "Thaddeus? Thaddeus." His fingers grappled at his armrest as he sat up properly, his chloroform mask falling down his chest.

"No sir, it's, it's not Thaddeus. It's me, Billie."

"Oh. Yes, of course." He shifted lightly as the little girl came up to him, black eyes wide. "Hello sweetheart."

"How are you, sir?"

He laughed lightly, bitterly, his eyes closing again. "Dead."

The nine year old cocked her head to the side, a scowl on her face. "Well, I knew that." He sighed softly and tapped on his knee, and she easily climbed into his lap. She pushed his mask aside slightly, grimacing at it, but didn't add anything as he watched her.

His voice was soft, airy, and she knew he'd been breathing in drugs long before she came in. "Have you met my wife, Nora? She was the prettiest thing."

"I haven't." _You keep asking but the answer is always the same_. "I haven't had the privilege. She hides, you know?"

"She did then too." He grunted painfully as he shifted in his armchair, the memories encircling him like a cloud along with the drugs. "You look a bit like her. Your hair. But you don't have her eyes. Hers were an icy blue, so beautiful." He paused. "But they never melted for me."

The child didn't add anything, knowing that if she did, it would only spur him into bouts of cold silence. Silence that she didn't need.

She only escaped to the Victorian home to talk. The only friends she had, her mother didn't approve of. They were too black, too poor, even though they were her neighbors and she herself scraped to find Billie's next meal. And who wanted to be friends with the girl who saw phantoms, anyway.

He glanced down at her, as if he'd just noticed her, his eyes wide. "When did you get here?"

She giggled. "Here in the house, or here on your lap?"

"My niece used to sit on my lap, like you do now. I hoped that one day Thaddeus would too." He paused. "He didn't like me much. Maybe he would have grown to. Maybe we could have gone fishing, or maybe he could have helped me in my work." Billie grimaced, her nose wriggling. "I could have taken him to school." His gaze was suddenly back on the girl. "How was school?"

"Fine. I'm going to join the writing contest. Teacher says that there's a money prize!" Billie gave him a toothie grin, her lisp slipping past.

"What would you do with the money?" He asked, glancing down at her, eyes focusing slightly. He sat up properly. "You can't just spend it, don't be so unwise."

"I was going to give it to mama." The little blonde shrugged. "What I'd do with money anyway?"

"A lot of things can be done with money, child."

"I guess. But I can't think of any."

He smiled lightly at her.

OOOoooOOO

"How did you find this house?"

"It kinda stands out." Billie smiled. "But I was walking around after school since I got this bad grade and I couldn't go home with that, you know? And this woman was standing on the lawn, black hair, pretty face?"

The blonde nodded curtly.

"She felt like talking, so I stuck by and listened. She's quite nice."

"A little too nice."

Billie shrugged. "She seemed lonely more than anything, really." The child paused, black eyes on the older woman, and she shifted her weight from one hip to the other awkwardly. Her voice was soft. "You know, you don't have to hide it."

The ghost raised a perfect eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I can see your wounds even if you hide them. You don't have to. No one else here does, not around me."

The lady of the house suddenly seemed disheveled, her hair now a mess as the cloth on her breast became heavy with blood. She sniffed lightly as she raised her handkerchief to the side of her jaw, waiting for Billie's reaction. But none came, except for a small smile from the girl.

"Better?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"I'm Billie. Billie Dean Howard." The girl gave a toothy grin and stuck her hand out. The woman gazed down at her, slightly surprised, her ice blue eyes scanning her dirty fingernails. The little blonde cocked her head to the side. "You're supposed to shake."

The woman did as she was told, lithe fingers taking the girl's hand awkwardly. She paused. "You have a lisp."

"You go hard in the paint straight away, don't ya." Billie scrunched her nose. "Mama says I'm perfectly imperfect. But between you and me, I'm working on it. What's your name?"

"Nora. Nora Montgomery."

The girl's face split into a small grin as she breathed out. "_Oh._"

"Oh?"

"I've been wanting to meet you for a while. Everyone talks about you but you're such a mystery to me."

"How can you see me?"

"I just can. It all started with this Mexican ghost in my bathroom, when I was a kid. She'd died there or something and she kinda became my nanny, even though my mama kept getting a babysitter for me when she went out. She don't go out much anymore, ever since I got in trouble. And anyway, I'm fifteen. I don't really need a babysitter anymore, you know?"

"Trouble."

"Talking to imaginary friends, even if they're real, can lead to bad things." Billie shrugged. She looked away thoughtfully. "It doesn't matter now. You don't talk much, do you."

"I don't see why. There's no one here that can stimulate me or my mind."

"I mean, I don't know. I've found a few cool people here. Though the girls downstairs talk even less than you. They just stare a lot. At least you reply. Oh." Billie reached down into her pocket for a handkerchief and handed it to the ghostly blonde. "Your wound is leaking. Use mine so you don't stain yours." The woman stared her down, fingers reaching back to dab at her neck.

"I don't understand. Where's my baby."

"Oh. Ah, well I know. But, he's not a baby anymore. Not anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"Please don't cry. I can take you to him, but it's not pretty, it's not what you'd expect."

"Where is he?"

"He stays in the basement." Billie bit her lower lip. "With your husband." She watched the color drain from Nora's face, or whatever color was left. "I won't be able to coax him up here. Some spirits won't leave their corners, their enclosures, Thaddeus is one of those spirits. Would you like to sit down?" The girl pulled one of the kitchen's chairs out and Nora fell into it heavily after a moment.

The older blonde's voice was soft. "I'm sorry for acting like this."

"It's alright. I wouldn't expect any less." Billie smiled sadly. "He was right. You're very pretty."

OOOoooOOO

"I didn't think I'd ever be back here. Not after you so nicely told me to leave and never come back." Billie did a once over of the living room, turning on herself, admiring yet another wave of furniture and decoration. "It's a lot more crowded than I remember. But it has been a while."

"I know I didn't believe you before." The woman across from her said, knuckles clenching around the door's frame. "But now I need you."

"Isn't it always like that."

"My son is dead, Miss Howard. You might be my last hope to, to reconcile with him, to talk to him. To tell him I miss him."

"Why shouldn't he think you do?" Billie asked, eyes black against Constance Langdon's hazel ones.

"Things," The older woman took a breath. "Transpired between us. He never truly forgave me."

"From what I know, he seemed to love you."

Constance couldn't help the little laugh that escaped, torn from her throat, and to that the younger blonde raised an eyebrow. She shifted on herself, cocking her hip out as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"We are talking about Beauregard, correct?"

The woman's eyes widened and she brought her hand to her chest. "He's here? Miss Howard, do not play games with me. I am an old woman and my heart has broken too many times for you to go and take another stab at me."

"Why would I-" Billie paused, grimacing. "You didn't know he was here."

"He, he died here but, but he was at peace." Constance argued weakly.

"That doesn't matter. This house is cursed, Mrs Langdon. Once you're in, you don't get out."

"So Tate is here."

Billie breathed in. "Oh yeah." At least now, the dark energy had a name.

OOOoooOOO

"What do you mean, you're moving out?"

"I can't live here anymore, Billie Dean. This house is full of death, of grief."

"This isn't fair! If you leave, I can't come back!"

Constance closed yet another moving box as Billie watched her with wide black eyes, clear tape ripping and echoing through the almost empty kitchen. "Make friends with the new owners."

"You only came to me when your son died. You kept me out of here for too many years."

"Then buy the house yourself." The older blonde snapped. She softened. "Look, I know this mansion means a lot to you, and that our friendship means a lot to you. I know you're lonely. I'm moving to the neighboring home, the one for sale? I won't be far, since my children are here. You come and visit me, Billie Dean Howard."

OOOoooOOO

"Go fish."

"Oh come on." The blonde angrily picked up a new playing card, watching the brunette from over the table. "You're lying to me."

"Why would I lie? You don't have any funds to gamble or shower me with. If I may remind you, you're broke babe. And even if you _were_ rich, god bless, it's not like I can walk out of here and spend it on clothes and Starbucks." The girl snapped back. She turned to the young man besides her. "Father in the Smith family?"

Billie watched as he begrudgingly handed over a card from his stack to the girl. "She's right. You're probably cheating."

"Stuff it, Travis."

"I'm glad I didn't bring my game of Monopoly." The blonde scowled. "One of you'd have killed me over a property by now and I'd have been stuck with you two and a tiny metal dog for the rest of eternity."

"At least you'd have fake cash. It's better than none at all." The brunette replied.

"Oh man, the girls would beat your ass if they played with us though." Travis laughed. "They're really sneaky for little kids. I really do like the appeal of having children. I kinda wish I was alive, for that at least."

"Hayden, don't." Billie warned, not looking up from her cards. The brunette's grip on the beer bottle by her side faltered and she settled on glaring at the young man, completely oblivious as he grinned at her quizzically. The blonde glanced up. "Violet! Care to join us?"


End file.
